10 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY FOR YOUR TRAVEL GOALS IN 2018

If you’ve been dreaming to visit Paris or The Maldives, now is the best time to make those dreams into reality. Here are some basic saving tips that make huge difference when taken seriously and consistently. First, determine your dream destination, have your itinerary and an estimate of the total amount that you’ll be needing for all the activities you’d like to do and for the hotel where you want to stay. Open a bank account or design a mason jar for one sole purpose, travel fund.

Score a cheap airfare – airfare can sometimes be eating the biggest chunk of your travel budget. Avoid this by signing up for airline newsletter or loyalty program to get exclusive updates on seat sale. Another way to save on airfare is to book waaaaay in advance. The downside is, travel plans can change due to unforseen events and some flights that are bought during promotional period are non-rebookable or non-refundable.

Get discounted/free accommodation – Just like airfare, accommodation can be expensive. One way to save in accommodation is to avail of book and buy promo or 60/90 days advance purchase that can be found on the hotel’s website, social media accounts, and travel expo. Credit cards usually partner with booking sites and some hotel brands for the perks of their cardholders. Take advantage of this by visiting your credit card’s website for travel promos. Booking sites like hotels.com give one free night reward after booking a total of 10 nights stay through their website.

Do the 52 week money challenge – you can save $500 to as much as $2,500 by doing the 52 week money challenge. A $500 can get you a roundtrip ticket to your dream destination or $2,500 can buy you few nights at a five star resort in The Maldives. This fun money saving challenge can open up more options for your travel plans.

Eat healthy, eat at home – I’ve read that vegetarians save as much as $750 annually for eating plant based food. You might want to take this into consideration if you’re also aiming to become an ultimate health conscious person. For me, can’t live without nuggets so I’ll stick to my normal diet. I cook at home to ensure my meals contain just the right amount of calories and nutrients to support my dietery goal. Also, try to avoid buffet as much as possible and go for a la carte if you can.

Limit alcohol – I know it’s hard to say ‘no’ when your friends invite you for a night out especially if you haven’t seen them for quite awhile now. Plan what you’re going to drink and limit the number of glass/bottle. It’s MUCH better to drink a glass of margarita while watching the sunset in Palawan rather at an ordinary night in the city.

DIY itinerary – Travel agencies will always have additional fees. I only recommend using a travel agency if you’re a big group, if you’re visiting a place you’re not really familiar with, or if you’re willing to shell out extra for less hassle. DIY itinerary can save you as much as 50% of travel packages offered by agencies.

Stop buying unnecessary stuff – You will see alot of unique items or souvenirs while travelling. And though you can afford to buy additional baggage allowance, buying uneccessary stuff that will become an additional clutter in your room is just a waste of money. Before buying something, ask yourself ‘what better thing can I buy with this amount?’ Then decide. Maybe a 40$ souvenir can get you as suite upgrade that has a bathtub overlooking the city on your next travel.

Earn from your skills – Walk a dog, bake a cake, write articles, proofread, tutor, make up, music, whatever skill you have, make use and earn from it.

Sell items you don’t use anymore – Remove the items you no longer use from your home and sell them. You never know, someone might be needing your old trench coat for stage play.

Use coupons – A country most likely has a dedicated website that sells discounted coupons for hotel stays, lunch/dinner, and things to do around the city. I got a nice lunch buffet deal from a well known five star hotel in Dubai for half the regular price by using a disocunted voucher that I found online.

These are just some of the money saving tips that can help you fill up your travel fund in no time but there are tons more! Hope this post inspires you to get saving for your dream destination and don’t forget to tag me on instagram once your dream becomes a reality!

How do you save for you upcoming travel? Let me know by leaving a comment below. xo

20 Comments

There are so many great tips in here! People always say they can’t afford travel, but there are so many ways to save. I love the idea of the 52 week money challenge, as you really won’t miss the small amount you put aside each week. Also monitoring what you’re spending to not purchase unnecessary items will help you save in the long run.

This is a fabulous list of ideas – it really isn’t that difficult to save, it’s just that people have become so accustomed to having things like a glass of wine, new clothes etc, and really, you don’t need them. We’ve saved so much money for travel by not replacing our wardrobe every year, by eating at home, and sticking to water. Ultimately I figure I’m going to remember the travel experiences more than a $20 cocktail I had one night 🙂

Thanks for sharing your money saving tips Meg! Yup, I agree. I think it’s only a matter of priority. Travel and life experiences will always be more valuable than material things. Cheers to water and more travels! 🙂

As another travel addict who is always looking to book the next trip, budget saver tips are always welcome. We are pretty good at booking savvy when it comes to airfare and accommodation, and also look for deals on airline points schemes and supporting credit cards. And I always plan our itinerary myself, not just for cost but to get the perfect itinerary! We do eat out regularly but not too often, especially in the lead up to a trip when we know we’ll be eating out a lot on the trip itself too.

Haha, yes. Nothing beats an itinerary designed based on our own personal interests. I do think we have the same behaviour when it comes to eating out, not really skipping it totally since that would be too limiting. If it’s not an important occassion, I’ll have to pass and save it for trying out restaurants in new places. 🙂

These are wonderful tips and things I do in my everyday life! The one thing I’ve been slipping up on is the alcohol situation. I’m such a sucker for craft beer. However, this has inspired me to get back on track with that.

Love these ideas! I’m quite a savvy saver but always on the lookout for more tips. I’d love to know more about the 52 week money challenge – how does it work? Selling stuff on eBay and using coupons are my biggest money saving strategies.